WorkCover changes a "blow to low income workers"

LOW income earners who suffer work-related injuries will be severely disadvantaged by changes to Queensland's workers compensation scheme currently before state parliament, according to personal injury law firm Trilby Misso.

Trilby Misso General Manager Michael Broughton said the changes to WorkCover, including the introduction of a five per cent threshold to access common law damages, will make it harder for workers to obtain their common law rights.

"Queensland has one of the most financially sustainable workers compensation schemes in Australia and therefore we are extremely disappointed by the Queensland government's legislative changes," Mr Broughton said.

"Unfortunately these changes will lead to a reduction in some entitlements for Queensland workers, particularly in some cases making it harder for them to access their common law rights.

"The changes will be prejudicial to lower paid workers and deny them access to social justice and compensation.

"Many of these workers are prone to getting injured because they perform manual labour and operate machinery often in unsafe workplaces.

"Even a relatively minor injury can prevent manual workers from being able to rejoin the workforce and have a detrimental long term impact on those workers and their families."

Mr Broughton said Trilby Misso and parent company Slater & Gordon had worked hard together with a number of stakeholders including unions, the Law Society and the Australian Lawyers Alliance to try to persuade the government to protect worker entitlements.